Madhya Pradesh CM unveils 108-feet Adi Shankaracharya statue ahead of elections

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday unveiled an 108-feet tall statue of Adi Shankaracharya at Omkareshwar in Khandwa district of the state as part of its Rs 2,141 crore Statue of Oneness project.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday unveiled an 108-feet tall statue of Adi Shankaracharya at Omkareshwar in Khandwa district of the state as part of its Rs 2,141 crore `Statue of Oneness' project. The unveiling of the statue of the eighth century Hindu scholar and philosopher comes ahead of assembly elections in the state.

The BJP government in MP is focusing on reviving Sanatan Dharma practices, said the government advertisement about the unveiling ceremony in the newspapers. The Rs 2,141 crore project on Mandhara Hill also includes the setting up of Advaita Lok Museum, Vedanta Institute and Advaita Forest spread over 36 hectares. "Bharat stands united as one culturally today due to Adi Shankaracharya, '' Chouhan said addressing a huge gathering of religious leaders on this occasion. Adi Shankaracharya set out from Kerala and made his way to Madhya Pradesh where he got transformed with the attainment of knowledge from his Guru Govinda Bhagavatpada on the sacred island of Omkareshwar, the government advertisement said.

He played a crucial role in reviving Sanatana Dharma, advocating the philosophy of Advaita, it added. "Had he not been there, Bharat's oneness of culture would not have existed today. Bharat stands today on Sanatan," Chouhan said. ''Today the Statue of Oneness has been installed and the foundation stone of Advaita Lok has also been laid,'' he added.

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